How to Sand and Polish Epoxy Resin to a Mirror Finish - Step by Step Guide
Check out www.glasscastresin.com/how-to... for project details
Further info and product links ▼
Step-by-step video tutorial covering the complete process of how to flat and polish epoxy resin up to a high gloss/mirror finish, including tools and abrasive selection, followed by detailed instructions on sanding action, grits and passes, before progressing to final polishing to a flawless high gloss.
Products used in the video:
UK & Worldwide Customers:
► GlassCast 50 Clear Epoxy Resin www.glasscastresin.com/glassc...
► Mirka Abranet and Galaxy Abrasive Pads www.glasscastresin.com/p120-1...
► NW1 Polishing Compound www.glasscastresin.com/nw1-ep...
► TOPFINISH 2 Polishing Compound www.glasscastresin.com/topfin...
EU Customers:
► GlassCast 50 Clear Epoxy Resin www.easycomposites.eu/glassca...
► Mirka Abranet and Galaxy Abrasive Pads www.easycomposites.eu/abrasiv...
► NW1 Polishing Compound www.easycomposites.eu/nw1-whi...
► TOPFINISH 2 Polishing Compound www.easycomposites.eu/topfini...
For full details, including a full list of products used with links, see the project page on the GlassCast website: www.glasscastresin.com/how-to...
#epoxyresin #sandandpolishing #howtosandandpolishresin
This is the first video I’ve come across that has helped me clearly understand how to sand and polish resin. Thank you 🙏🏻
Glad you found it helpful!
After staring at my first dull Resin effort and wondering why I couldn't get it to look clear, hey presto 1 video later and I can smile again, thanks.
Finally i understand how to sand and polish my resin and can finally complete the 2 side tables i have created. Thankyou
Best of luck finishing your tables.
Hi from New Zealand, thank you for this great tutorial. I get excited when I want to learn new projects, but then I get anxiety. But I try & push myself & after watching this video...well I'm goanna give it ago. I'm happy to to start a new project & I'm happy to be a new subscriber, thanx loads looking forward to watching more from you 🥰
Thank you wish to start making knife scales using wood and epoxy this tutorial has taught me so much and saved me money as in sanding discs i now know the correct ones to purchase thanks again
Thanks so much for this tutorial, it worked wonders 🎉
Nicely done!
Thanks for this tutorial. You sounded very professional. I can't wait to try.
Thank you for commenting, glad you enjoyed the video!
Used it for the first time last weekend definitely worth buying if you're a person who likes detailing your own car recommend first time to use on lowest setting 800 so you don't burn paint don't leave in one spot keep moving it over paint easy to use kzhead.infoUgkxfzbDkCRyv3CFXnLZI4APZtRRuG2uRmP2 truck looks like new again used maguires black light battery life like all milwaukee products seem to hold up well 😀
Thank you very much for this video. Superbly explained! And many thanks for the helpful information about processing time and material.
Thanks. This was clear and very thorough. Just what I needed. 👍😁
Perfect. Thank you for being so detailed.
Thanks Jerry, glad you enjoyed the video!
Thank you for this very informative video!!! Well done and very descriptive, covering all the bases 👍
I feel like a took a really great course today! I’m ready to finish up this counter top I started 4 years ago!! Thank you!👊🏼🙌🏼🙏🏼
Best of luck finishing it off
Very well explained! Thank You a lot!
Fantastic tutorial 👍🏻
Best tutorial on polishing resin I’ve ever seen. Good work guys 👍👍👍
Glad you enjoyed it
Absolutely great video, thank you.
Great and simple lesson 😉
WOW! Very nice. Nice presentation. I'll be using these tips in my current project. Thanks
Thank Roy, I'm glad it has proved useful to you - let us know how you get on with your project! :)
That answered so many questions i've had
Excellent demo on the product, will be trying this process out on some knives for my channel. Thanks again!
Thanks Sweetknives :)
Atleast i find the perfect video for the perfect way to polishing thanks
Perfect done !!! 😍
Great video! Super helpful
I’m new to this resin thing but after making a bottle top table for my bar I’m keen to move onto bigger and better. The polishing video will help me as I move ahead, thanks.👍
It is our please Anthony, glad to hear it has been useful :)
Just huge thank you from USA!!!
You're very welcome, hope the tutorial helps.
Wow! What an excellent video. I have watched several videos from other channels, but they come up short, skipping steps or glossing over details. You provide concise explanations, but with much needed detail on both the procedure and the products used. This will have immediate impact and take my epoxy pours to the next level. Thank you. I'm heading out to your website to look at the products now.
Thanks for the feedback, we try and cover every process in detail and not miss anything out. We think it's important to show not just the result, but how to get there and the work involved.
Fantastic video. So useful. Thank you! Instantly subscribed and bought several products from your site!
Glad you found the video useful!
Thankyou this was. really very clear and helpful tutorial. Want to buy some materials.
What an awesome video thanks
Ahora si entendí cómo lijar y pulir el epoxy. Gracias..!
Amazing video
Finally, a decent instructional video. Thank you
We really appreciate the kind comment, glad you enjoyed!
Fabulous video I will be adding those to my list for sure
Thanks Tracey :)
What a very informative video , found it very useful , and very easy on the eye so it was easy to watch
Thanks Terry, glad you found it useful :)
Thanks, very well done!
Thank you so much this is an amazing video!!!
I agree. Having the right materials DOES make a world of difference!!
Great video ... thanks!
very helpful video love u & ❤❤I like this job very much, I will start very soon InshAllah
great video thank you
Thank you so much for your nice video, I have a question please help me how can I use epoxy resin on basin and old basin and how to make perfect and glass glossy smooth finishing
your videos very detailed..thank you for sharing this video sir i learn a lot with this...🎉🎉🎉🎉 please make more tutorial video like this. God bless you always❤
Thanks for the feedback, keep an eye out for our next tutorial project.
This video is very helpful for me
Glad it could be of use :)
Comprehensive ...very well done
Thanks Richard, it put us a bit of time to put this one together - not the actual filming/editing but the planning because we know its one area which causes a lot of headaches, especially if someone hasn't done a lot of sanding and polishing before and we wanted to make sure we covered everything including useful tips we've picked up through the years. Sanding and polishing can be really quite satisfying when you get the hang of it 🙂
Finally an alternative to extremely expensive 3M products! *Thanks*
Very useful video - thank you
Thanks John, we really appreciate you taking the time to watch and comment. I'm glad that you enjoyed!
Thank you very much! Super useful video!👏🏻🙏🏻
Glad you enjoyed!
a massive thank you
Great video any suggestions for a mixed epoxy countertop tops?
Hi Robert, the only difference if you were doing a darker colour is that you may wish to use the NW1 and TopFinish black rather than the white. Everything else would be exactly the same.
Hi mate. What adapter do you use for the dewalt orbital sander
thankyou so much!!!
hi, thanks so much for the video - so detailed and helpful! however, no matter what i do, i am getting the swirly pigtail marks from the sander. i am trying to follow the instructions in this video exactly, and the sanding pads do not look clogged, but i cannot get rid of them. any advice is appreciated!!!
Make extra sure both the surface and the pad are clean. If you pick up even the smallest bit of coarser grit or debris, it will scratch the surface leaving those pigtail marks.
top man this was perfect!
Thanks for the feedback, glad its been useful :)
Did you need to oil the wood again after polishing? Thanks
Not in this case but, like most oil based products, semi-regular re-application can help restore the finish depending on how it wears.
Fantastic! Such a great video! Any differences to this if your using a white marble finish epoxy? Different compound etc etc????
Hi, thanks for commenting. The process and compound would be exactly the same as the video.
Thank u for this very informative video...can u help me where to get the different grit papers n the polishing compound
Glad you found it useful. You can find the abrasive papers and the polish from our website. www.glasscastresin.com/
Great vid thanks
Thanks Randall, glad you enjoyed it 👍
Good video on polishing epoxy, however the danish oil finish doesn't protect the wood from getting stained/stripped off by the polishing compound as you can easily see at 10:50, and from my experience as a woodworker who works with epoxy every day this is something I still struggle with to find a solution, would be nice if there was actually a good method in polishing the epoxy without messing up the wooden sides other than just epoxying the entire wooden surface just to be able to evenly sand/polish the river
THANK YOU...THIS IS THE $64,000 QUESTION! To complicate it even further, I don't like wood to have the unnatural glassy look of epoxy. I would much rather have a satin look on the wood. (BTW, I asked almost the same Q here 11:49 before I saw yours. I notice he answered all the questions except yours. I.have not seen ANYONE address this critical issue. I do hope he answers.
This answers my question, thank you! Incase anyone else is struggling with this same problem. I'll explain my situation... I make Chess boards. Half the squares wood, the other half epoxy. Obviously I can't sand just the epoxy squares without getting the wood. I was wondering what the point of finishing was if the buffer was going to remove material. Now I understand. I guess the only way to seal the wood properly would be to cover it in something that has the same strength at the epoxy and that brings us back to finishing the entire thing with epoxy so it can all be polished to the same level. Thanks again guys. Looks like I have a choice between leaving the wood exposed or coating it in epoxy.
Thanks a lot for sharing this video, and really nice work! The tabletop I'm working on doesn't have a 'river' of resin, instead it's scattered across the surface of the wood to fill holes, indentations, etc. What would you recommend I do when it comes to the sealing of wood and polishing of resin stage?
You could do the process in a very similar way. Applying the oil coat before you polish the resin surface will reduce the chances of the compound absorbing into the grain. For small areas you may wish to polish by hand which might reduce the spread of the compound over the wood areas.
Can glass stovetop polish be used for polishing?
Thanks for the step by step video. I’m wondering if you wore a specific mask during sanding?
A good quality P2 or better quality mask is recommended for epoxy sanding dust.
Great video and very helpful. You used Danish oil to seal the wood before polishing with the compound. How long after sealing do you have to wait to polish. Is it possible to use like an Odies oil to seal before polishing as well?
It is not a product we have tested. However it looks to be made of oils and waxes so is likely to offer similar levels of protection. However test on a small area first to be safe.
Thank you for a great tutorial. Can you recommend a tool for smaller pieces of resin? I’m working on coasters, so an orbital sander feels excessive for the size. I use GlassCast resin and it is brilliant, never had any issues with it unlike others that I’ve tried.
The good thing about a random orbital sander like this is that it has a random path, it's not just rotational which means you get a really nice finish with minimal sanding marks. For small pieces you might find a detail sander more appropriate.
Brilliant. Can you use the sander instead of the polisher?
If you have an appropriate polishing head for your sander then absolutely.
Can you add a finish like Osmos to both the wood and the epoxy? Great video thanks.....
A product such as that wouldn't improve the finish on the epoxy in any way. As an oil based product it would simply sit on the surface of the epoxy so can be wiped away once applied to the wood. If you are using a one with a stain to alter the appearance of the wood it would be a good idea to so this relatively quickly rather than letting it sit on the epoxy, especially with light coloured or clear resin.
Enjoyed your tutorial. Just starting to use clear resin. Up to this point my work has all been done with table top multicolor epoxy inlays. I didn't do any wet sanding or polishing, even though I have been informed it would step up my game. I am now trying to move in that direction. So a couple questions: Seems like a basic question but need to validate I have a Festool 150" ROS. Will the mirka sandpaper and wet sanding discs work with that sander? I am pretty sure the answer is yes but wanted to validate. Second question - looks like once you go to wet sanding you remove the dust collector connection so you don't suck water into the DC - is that correct? Thank you again for the tutorial - very helpful.
For an 150mm disc they should fit no problem. Yes you don't want water in the vacuum cleaner/extraction system.
Awesome! How to protect it from scratches now going forward?
The epoxy resin is generally a hard wearing surface once fully cured. Occasional light polishing will remove any build up of scratches during use.
Do you reapply any oil finish after your done? I would imagine the wet sanding and polishing affects the wood itchy next to the epoxy.
The oil finish is generally applied just before the polishing stage so that the oil helps stop the polishing residue sticking to the wood. Most oil finishes are designed for occasional recoating to restore finish over time.
is the cure time of epoxy important to when you sand?
Yes; it needs to be fully cured prior to sanding and the longer you can leave it after the initial cure, the harder and therefore easier to sand and polish it will become.
Great video, very well executed! One thing I didn't see addressed - should this be done on both sides of the piece? I imagine yes as if the bottom is not as clear as the top you'll see that as you look through it. I've made several river tables, though all with a dark epoxy - not see through, so I sand the bottom up to 180, while the top is sanded to 800 (on the epoxy part).
Thanks for the feedback. Correct If you wanted to be able to see through the entire piece with clarity then you would also need to polish up the underside of the 'river'. If, as in your case the bottom side is hidden then you can do as much or as little finishing as you please.
When staining wood, I guess you wouldn’t want to sand up to 1200? Maybe stop on the wood around 320 and keep sanding the epoxy?
Gonna be rewatching this because seeing multiple passes is new to me! Can this be applied to a resin table top that has a few flowers sticking out so it can be a flat shiny surface?
The flowers should really be fully encapsulated in the resin which will prevent them from absorbing moisture and decaying any further. If they are protruding from the surface then you should cut the flowers back flush and sand out a small amount of resin around the flowers, you can fill with a small quantity of resin to seal them in place. This can then be sanded flat and polished as demonstrated in the video. Alternatively you could cut the flowers back to the surface and apply a 2mm coating of GlassCast 3. GlassCast 3 cures with a flat glossy finish so you shouldn't then need to do any more finishing work.
Super nice video! I have a artwork that I would like to polish but the resin layer is only 2mm thick. How much material is removed during this process? Thank you very much!
In reality, very little - fractions of a millimetre as you're only working down through the deepest scratches. As you progress to the next, finer level of abrasive papers, the only material you're removing is between the scratches, you're not going deeper; the idea being that your smoothing out the surface prior to polishing.
Great video, going to redo the top of my bar. Where in the US can I get the PaiBoats NW1 Plus and the Top Finish 2?
I'm afraid I don't know any specific US based dealers or distributors although if you struggle, we can ship these to the US, no problems.
@@glasscastresin Can you tell me what the cost would be for both of those bottles of polish shipped to 32829? Thanks!
Great video! What, if anything, do you do differently on the edges of a table? Particularly if it has a rounded-over or chamfered edge?
You still sand it the same way, just take extra care to keep an even pressure so you sand evenly. On edges its easy to end up putting too much pressure on the corner if you are not careful.
@@glasscastresin thanks
This was exactly my question. Can you do a video on doing the edges? What is considered a single pass on the edge? Obviously you can't go up and down, do you go around it a 2nd time? how do you go about an edge with a round over or a more complicated router bit? How do you handle that?@@glasscastresin
@@sarahweerheim6123 For complicated or undulating surfaces you may find that sanding by hand is better. It may take more time than with a sander, but you'll have more control and a better feel for the contours in the edge.
Great video with useful info. I'm in Canada, can you ship worldwide? Thanks
Hi Derek, we can ship worldwide. When shipping to Canada we can ship any non dangerous goods no problem to all addresses, although dangerous goods including the GlassCast range can only be shipped to certain postcodes. If you'd like to email help@glasscastresin.com with any enquiries you have we'd be happy to assist.
Hi there! Your video was substantially more informative than at least 100 others I have seen on KZhead. I would like to ask, however, the f the polishing should be done both before AND after the seal coat and flood coats. I have yet to find my answer on any video with the hashtag ,"instruction; how to build river epoxy table from start to finish"
You only generally polish as a final stage to finish off the project.
un grand merci pour ces explications tres utile pour mon projet. je n arrive pas a obtenir une surface correct ( les rayures apparraissent a parir du gain 320 et sont de plus en plu présentes jisqu au grain 3000 !) . des paquest se forment sous les diques et le resutat est horrible. je vais suivre vos conseils et acheter les disques de ponçage que vous conseillez dans cette vidéo. encore merci et bravo pour ce partage.
Thanks for commenting, if the problems persist you can always get in touch by email at help@glasscastresin.com and we'd be happy to advise further.
would you use the same process for smaller areas of resin-for example is its being used to fill large crack/splits in a piece of wood that will be turned?
Yes, the same process would be used for any size of resin.
How do you finish the wood with the epoxy up against it.
Generally when you get to the polishing stage, you can apply Danish oil or similar. Then when you polish the resin, any polishing residue will easily clean off the wood.
Thanks @@glasscastresin
Can you start the wood + epoxy project by running the piece through a standard shop wood planner? Ray.
Yes you can. It can be useful if there is a lot of material to remove or a warp you are trying to sand out. A drum sander can also be used to do the same thing.
This tutorial is well overdue. I was asking about this from you 3-4 years ago but thankfully KZhead saved the day back then
Mmm, sorry we didn’t have this video when you needed it but glad you found what you were looking for. I hope the project worked out well 👍.
Thank you for posting - have a question for you: Will a rotary sander work just as well as the random orbital?
The problem that you might find with a rotary sander is that it leaves swirls in the surface, also due to the fact that the outside of the disk is moving faster than the center your sanding can be uneven. That being said, if you're careful and use the right technique, it can still be done.
@@glasscastresin This is wonderful intel - many thanks!
Oh, and great video....:)
Hi, thank you for this great tutorial 👍 I will do same steps but ı have question mark. You apply that polish also to wood. Are those polish can apply also for woods? Should ı apply only resin part or both of them? I wish that; ı explained my self clear 😊
Its only really for polishing the resin itself and would be best to avoid getting it onto the wood as if it gets into the grain, it might alter the appearance of the wood itself.
Wow 😍
I needed help getting the bubbles out of my artwork. Can I use a dremmel and various pads to do this?
you can if they are too deep to sand through. Care needs to be taken so that they can be filled in.
I have a few questions about the NW1 and Topfinish 2 polishing compounds. 1) Are they sold anywhere under a smaller quantity? I don't have many resin things to use it on. 2) Can I use it with a dremel tool on small resin projects? 3) If it *can* be used with a dremel tool, what would be the recommended buffing bit?
I can answer you, or i can try at least. So, yes, you can use your dremmel toold with this paste. You can find some other polishing paste from different suplier that does the job and in small quantities ( Meguiars). And you can buff it with the wool disk.
May I ask what you use as a sleeve on your dust extractor hose?
The sleeve is a Mirka product that came with the sander. Some sanders have the sleeve as a kit, but it is available individually. It wraps around the vacuum hose and power cable to keep things neat.
Can you recommend a high gloss polishing compound in the UK for epoxy resin ??
Hi Johny, If you watch the video from about 8:40 this covers the polishing process to a high gloss in detail. To get that full gloss finish you would need to use the Top Finish 2 which can be found on our website www.glasscastresin.com/topfinish2-high-gloss-epoxy-polishing-compound. We are are based in the UK so shipping should take 1-2 working days.
Hey there 👋. Wondering if the sanding swirl marks will be seen in my opaque black epoxy River table after I top coat with table top epoxy? Or does the top coat epoxy fill on the swirlies and make it all uniform? Thanks!
A flood coating will completely fill any scratches on the surface. In fact, you will want to key the surface with 120 grit abrasive.
@@glasscastresin oh wow, so glad I asked. I thought because it was solid black epoxy that the clear coat would accent the scratches. Thank you so much for responding🙏.
Hi. Thanks for the video. I have a question regarding the speed setting of my orbital sander (from 1 to 5) for each grid and polish stage. What’s your recommendation? Thanks a lot.
Hi Eduardo, we recommend a high speed but low pressure. You need to keep checking the surface of the item to make sure that it doesn't get warm, if it does move onto another part of the item.
Thank you very much for your prompt response.
Hi the oil used in your video to seal the wood is it food safe? I am making serving trays or charcuterie trays!
The brand we used was not specifically food safe. It may be possible to find a similar alternative.
Abone oldum bildirimleri açtım ve ürünleri satın alacam gerçekten eğitici be çok bilgilendirici bir video içerik olmuş teşekkür ederim 🙏🏼
Does it need to be a disc orbital sander, or will a rectangular one work as well?
Both will work fine for sanding resins.
What will happen if you overheat while polishing resin surface?
If you overheat the resin, its likely to mark and distort/burn the surface.
Can you use the compounds to finish the wood as well?
The polishes are designed to work on plastic resins so would not work well on the wood itself where dedicated wood treatment products are better.
@@glasscastresin Can you please recommend a product that can be used for wood polyurethane polishing.
Is it hard to remove the wax residue at the end from the wood?
By oiling or waxing the wood before polishing, it makes removal if any polish residue much easier as it is unlikely to get stuck in the wood grain.
Hi, i noticed at 1200 grit you used a wet sand, the water went onto the wood section - will this not be absorbed into the wood and possibly bow the river table, if i sanded to 1200 or more with a dry sand will the polish compound still take away any small inperfectiond
Only if large amounts of water were used. The amount of time the wood is wet - and also how quickly it will dry in warm conditions - means that it is unlikely to cause any issues.